This invention relates to a power tool for cutting vegetation, such as grass, and immediately catching the cuttings. More particularly, it relates to a hand-held tool having an elongated handle with a cutting blade at its lower end, within a housing, and a cuttings bag secured to the housing, and a drive motor at the upper end of the handle connected to the cutting blade by a flexible drive shaft.
A common form of lawn mower includes a blade that rotates about a vertical axis. The blade is within a housing that is supported by wheels. A drive motor is mounted on the housing and is connected to the cutting blade. A handle projects rearwardly from the housing and includes a handle bar at its upper end. The user stands behind the handle and grasps the handle bar. While walking, he or she pushes on the handle bar to move the housing and cutting blade relatively over the lawn. The cutting blade is positioned relative to the wheels such that it will cut the lawn to a desired height. Some of these lawn mowers include a cutting catcher, e.g. A bag, that is connected to and is supported from the housing.
Another form of vegetation cutter has a smaller blade (or a cutting line) within a housing at the lower end of a handle but without wheels. The drive motor is sometimes mounted at the upper end of the handle and is other times mounted on the housing at the lower end of the handle. This type of cutter is usually used for trimming around the edges of the lawn. The present invention relates to improvements in this second type of vegetation cutter.
Herein the term xe2x80x9cvegetationxe2x80x9d is used to mean grass, other types of ground cover, bushes and other types of plant growth that from time to time need to be cut or trimmed.
In basic form, the vegetation cutter/catcher of the present invention comprises a housing having a top portion that includes a top opening, a side portion that includes a discharge opening, a bottom opening, and a base flange that borders the bottom opening. A handle is provided that has a lower end portion that includes a lower end and an upper portion that includes an upper end. The lower end portion of the handle extends downwardly from the top opening in the top portion of the housing. The upper end portion of the handle extends upwardly from the top opening in the top portion of the housing. A drive motor is mounted on the upper end portion of the handle. The drive motor includes a rotary output. A flexible drive shaft extends downwardly through the handle from the rotary output of the drive motor to a lower end that is adjacent the lower end of the handle. A cutting blade is provided in the housing wherein it is attached to the lower end of the flexible drive shaft. A cuttings bag is connectable to the housing. The cuttings bag has an enclosure wall that includes an inlet opening that is placed into registry with the opening in the side portion of the housing. In use, the bottom opening of the housing is moved towards vegetation that is to be cut. The motor is operated to rotate the drive shaft and the cutting blade so that the blade will cut vegetation that it encounters. The cuttings move into and through the housing and into the cuttings bag.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is at least one lower side opening in the side portion of the housing and a corresponding void in the base flange. In the preferred embodiment, there is a lower side opening that is diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing.
The present invention includes providing a plurality of lower side openings in the side portion of the housing and spacing them apart circumferentially around the housing. The base flange includes a void for each side opening. In preferred form, there are three lower side openings. One of them is generally diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing. The other two lower side openings are generally diametrically opposite each other. Each is circumferentially between the first lower side opening and the discharge opening.
Another aspect of the invention is to make the lower end portion of the handle vertically adjustable in position in the top opening. An adjustable lock is provided for locking the handle into a selected position relative to the housing, for the purpose of establishing the cutting position of the cutting blade relative to the bottom opening in the base flange.
The present invention includes using a cutting blade that comprises at least one suction vane that is configured to create suction within the housing between the bottom opening and the discharge opening, for assisting movement of the cuttings into and through the housing and into the cuttings bag.
The present invention includes providing the base flange with a lower surface that is positioned to be brought into contact with vegetation that is to be cut so that it will serve as a support surface for the cutter/catcher.
An important object of the present invention is for the weight of the vegetation cutter/catcher to be substantially balanced so that when a user grasps the handle the weight of the drive motor at the top of the handle will be substantially balanced by the weight of the housing and cutting blade at the bottom of the unit.